HC stays UT DC’s order of attaching CGC’s bank accounts

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday put a stay on the order issued by Chandigarh deputy commissioner (DC) on August 25 of attaching five bank accounts of the Chandigarh Golf Club (CGC) for recovery of the outstanding lease rent of Rs 8.59 crore for its 132 acres land.

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday put a stay on the order issued by Chandigarh deputy commissioner (DC) on August 25 of attaching five bank accounts of the Chandigarh Golf Club (CGC) for recovery of the outstanding lease rent of Rs 8.59 crore for its 132 acres land.

The directions came from the court headed by justice M Jeyapaul on an application moved by the club in its already pending petition in the high court.

The club informed the court that the order regarding attachment of its bank accounts was passed without any information to it and it came to know about deputy commissioner’s directions through the newspapers on August 26.

DC Mohammed Shayin had on July 19 directed the club to deposit Rs 8.59 crore within 15 days as lease rent from March 16, 2008, to March 15, 2014 that was calculated at 7% increase per year.

The order had made it clear that if the CGC failed to deposit the amount, it would be sealed. But since the club in the high court challenged the order, the court had on July 24 put stay on the order subject to the payment of 50% amount with the administration in the meanwhile.

The club, on Wednesday, made a prayer before the court to restrain the Union Territory administration from taking any coercive action against it till August 30 as it had filed a special leave petition before the Supreme Court against the high court’s order of July 24 directing it to deposit 50% of the lease amount demanded by the UT administration.

The court was informed that the case was likely to come up for hearing in the Supreme Court on August 29.

It was also submitted that the club had also delivered the information in this regard in the DC’s office on August 19 and despite that the DC issued the orders for attachment of its bank accounts.

The club also submitted that the monthly expenses of the club come to about Rs 27 lakh as there are about 191 staff members and around 100 daily wagers/casual employees.

Apart from that about 361 caddies are working for the club who are totally dependent on the salary paid to them by the club through these bank accounts.

The court was informed that though the Chandigarh Golf Club and that Delhi Golf Club were similarly situated as both are lessees of the central government but the CGC was being differently treated, which is illogical and unreasonable. The case has now been adjourned for next hearing to September 3